Swimming device

ABSTRACT

A SWIMMING DEVICE COMPRISING A RESILIENT FIN WHICH BECOMES RIGID WHEN MOVED IN ONE DIRECTION AGAINST THE WATER AND WHICH FIXES TO A NON-RIGID POSITION WHEN MOVED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

S. L. MARGOLIES SWIMMING DEVICE Filed Dec. 12, 1966 Jan. 26, 1971 United States Patent 3,557,397 SWIMMING DEVICE Samuel L. Margolies, 208 Jeanette Ave., Jensen Beach, Fla. 33457 Filed Dec. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 601,156

. Int. Cl. A63b 31/00 US. Cl. 9- 305 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A swimming device comprising a resilient fin which becomes rigid when moved in one direction against the water and which flexes to a non-rigid position when moved in the opposite direction.

used at all. Their use, an see it, is due because they are.

recommended by'instructors and thisis only because there are no others available. j

In the past, numberless persons have been drowned because rescue came a few moments too late and it would be useless to state ,that, my invention is far better than others because there are 'no "others for comparison.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an efficient means of reaching swimmers by life guards at beaches when the swimmer gets into trouble or by one swimmer to reach another in quicker time.

Another object of my invention if for the pleasure of people using my device in games of sport and will be made in various sizes to fit the young of all ages, both male and female.

A further object of my invention is the facility with which aqua-lung divers reach their objective and perform underwater tasks with far greater ease and efliciency.

One of the features of my invention is that all the parts in this device are fabricated of materials impervious to salt water and every precautionary measure is taken as not to endanger the safety of the swimmer.

Another feature of my invention is the fact that the swimmer isnt compelled to take this device off his feet when getting out of the water but can walk without any difficulty right onto the sand, earth, or any other hard surface. The same applies when walking into the water.

A further feature of my invention is that it is a device of very simple construction, contains only one flexible part and no moving parts, is uniquely designed and engineered eliminating hinges as well as other means of mechanical propulsion and constructed to avoid tiring the user prematurly.

Still another feature of my invention is that the fins which 1 cause the swimmer to be propelled through the water'contain a deeply grooved or ribbed undersurface to retain the maximum amount of water for greater eifectiveness'and to prevent the fins from sliding and slipping in every direction in the water and thus become unmanageable with consequent loss of speed-the main object of this invention.

These and other objects and features obtained and my new results will be apparent from the device described in the following specifications, particularly pointed out in the attached claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Patented Jan. 26, 1971 ice FIG. 1 is the rear end elevational view of my invention with the rear straps and buckle omitted for clarity.

FIG. 2 is a perspective, greatly enlarged view of a new, specially designed buckle to prevent slippage of certain specific materials and to be used for both the front and rear straps.

FIG. 3 is a top or plan view of FIG. 1 of my invention.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of FIG. 3 of my invention.

FIG. 5 refers more particularly to FIG. 1 which is an identical view but showing the fins in a progressively open and closed position.

FIG. 6 shows the rear end section of FIG. 4 illustrating an example of the possibility of substituting various methods of construction pertaining to the molded heel and also to the upwardly projecting tabs or ears at the front of the device to which the front straps are attached.

FIG. 7 is the bottom view of the device showing the cross-hatched, ribbed projections of the undersurface.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, reference .numeral 12 identifies a heavy piece of rigid plastic or other ward projections 48, the heel support 35 and the arch support 22 can be molded in one integral part. Each of the front straps 14 and 44 are divided into two parts or two anchors separated by opening 16 for double security for -the safety of the user; inserted into openings 18, turned upward and the ends are securely riveted 20 to the strap; the rear straps 26 and 38 are secured in the same manner with rivet 36, and the ankle protector 42 is inserted into the rear tongue strap 26 before connecting with buckle 40. Beneath the sole 12 is a thin, elliptical and flexible sheet of plastic, rubber or other pliable material, fin 10, much larger in dimensions than the sole 12 and is fiat and smooth on the upper surface but contains a ribbed, crosshatched undersurface 58, and between the fin 10 and the sole 12 is a somewhat smaller piece of oval shaped material 24, and beneath these three parts is reinforcing bar 30 which is a heavy strip of rigid plastic or metal and which supports and secures the three previously mentioned parts with rivets passing through all the parts with the riveted or expanded ends 32 of the rivets 34 visible on the underside of bar or strip 30.

To accomplish the purpose of this invention, the device is strapped to the feet of the swimmer and in the water, he simply moves his feet backward and forward. The normal position of the fins 10 is on a level or straight horizontal plane, parallel and touching fin supports 24, the upper face 52 of the fins 10 contacting the lower surface 55 of the fin supports 24, thus, with the fins in an open, horizontal position, it permits the user to walk while wearing the device in and out of the water, the reinforcing bar 30 and the projecting ridges of webbing 58 on the undersurface of the fin 10 contacting the ground.

With a slight forward pull of the feet in the water, the fins 10 pivoting at'location 50 are pulled away from the fin supports 24 to position 53. With a more forceful pull of the feet, the fins are drawn to position 54 as shown in FIG. 5 thus reducing the resistance in the water as the feet are drawn forward again. The instant the feet are poised for another backward, forceful push, the fins return instantly to their normal position with upper surface 52 of the fins 10 are supported by the lower surface 55 of the fin supports 24. Thus, the repeated forward and backward movement of the feet projects the swimmer quickly in the water, the projections of the ribbed undersurface 58 retains the maximum amount of water as the foot is thrust backward which provides a more positive and firm control of the fins, preventing the fins from becoming unmanageable by slipping and sliding uncontrollably in the water.

I have thus described my invention but I desire it understood that it is not confined to the particular forms or usage shown and described, the same being merely illustrative and that the invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention and therefore, I claim broadly the right to employ all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by means of which, objects of my invention are attained and new results accomplished as it is obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only some of the many that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

As an example of this variance, the molded sole 12 with the upwardly projecting ears 48 and molded heel support 35 can be substituted by a flat piece of material, also rigid or of metal and instead of the projecting ears and heel, elongated or slotted openings in the fiat material can be provided for inserting the strap ends and securing them with rivets as shown in FIG. 6, the fiat piece 56 bent to the curve of the rear end of the sole 12 for the heel support and secured to the sole 23 with U shaped straps 57 and the end of the buckle strap 38 provided with rivets 36.

Another example, reinforcing bar 30, being a separate strip of rigid material can be molded at the same time and in the same mold with, and thus becomes an integral part of, fin 10.

A further example of the method of construction of my invention without departing from the spirit of my invention; the fin support 24, a separate part as shown in the drawing, can be molded at the same time and in the same mold of sole 12 and thus becoming an integral part of the sole.

4 I claim: 1. A swimming device comprising (a) a fin including a thin, elliptical, resilient sheet, (b) a fin support of elliptical shaped rigid material 5 gmaller in size than said fin and disposed above said (c) a sole mounted on said support, (d) upwardly projecting ears on said sole having slots therein, (e) a heel support on said sole having slots,

(f) front and rear straps passing through said slots for fastening to the foot, (g) an elongated bar beneath said fin narrower than said support and secured to said fin, fin support and sole,

0 (h) the elongated edges of said bar providing lines of flexure of said fin in one direction, (i) said support limiting movement in the other direction, and (j) said fin having ribs on its surface opposite the surface engaged by the fin support.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 993,927 5/1911 Wells 9-304 1,500,942 7/1924 Johnson 9304 1,691,385 11/1928 Fibiger 9305 1,983,609 12/1934 Hudson 9-304 1,896,373 2/1933 Roberts 9-305 FOREIGN PATENTS 595,769 4/1934 Germany 9304 817,711 7/ 1949 Germany 9304 GEORGE E. A. HALVOSA, Primary Examiner I. E. PITTENGER, Assistant Examiner 

